Injured miners and construction workers are in the occupations most likely to receive an opioid prescription, the study shows. Injured workers living in “rural” or “very rural” areas were up to 25% more likely than urban injured workers to receive opioid painkillers.... READ MORE

High-speed internet connections and innovative leadership are resulting in economic boons for small towns and rural areas. The Rural Innovation Initiative recognizes nine such communities around the United States.... READ MORE

Will Arkansas become the first state to rescind its ban on local-government ownership of internet service providers? With the issue before the state Legislature, citizen input could have an impact on the decision.... READ MORE

Drivers living outside urban areas have farther to drive for work, shopping and trips to the doctor, so they spend more on gas and repairs and produce more emissions per capita. Switching to clean vehicles would save money; it would also help the environment.... READ MORE

“Explore Elkin” takes small individual investments and parlays them into bigger returns for the old mill town of Elkin, North Carolina. Instead of a pop and a fizzle, the program has created a slow burn of special events, marketing, and accurate self-promotion.... READ MORE

From 2010-16 nonmetropolitan America lost population. But counties that have recreation economies (hiking, whitewater, climbing, four-wheeling, etc.) grew slightly over the same period, according to a new report from Headwaters Economics.... READ MORE